Tinkerboy v3 "No Gamepad Detected" issue

[vinomer]

I've got everything set up (installing L1, L2, R1, R2 and analog later). screen works fine, Retropie loads up as normal. My only issue is that I'm getting the dreaded "No Gamepad Detected" screen. I've Googled everywhere before making this post in hopes of finding an easy solution, maybe something as easy as a software fix.

Tinkerboy v3.0.1 PCB Board
Tinkerboy v1.1 DPI Adapter

Some things I've already done.
- Installed modified Retropie 4.4 from TinkerBoy's website
- Removed and re-soldered all wiring
- Made sure PCB is screwed securely/tightly in place
- D+, D-, 5v, and GND firmly soldered from PCB to GPIO
- I haven't copied or done anything to the Config file (not sure if I had to) in Retropie.

This is my first time using glue sticks to hold everything in place, big mistake. I always recommend using JBWeld ClearWeld epoxy.

[rodocop]

I can't see the D+ and D- on the pi side, I would expect the issue is something to due with those connections, since the controls are handled via USB. Does the audio work, since it is also USB controlled. What about the external USB, plug in a keyboard, and see if it works. If not you for sure have an issue with the data connections.

Having something firmly soldered means nothing. The first thing I would check is continuity between D+ and D-. If you have a multimeter with an audible beep continuity setting that would be ideal. Simply set it to that, and touch one probe to D+ and the other to D-. If you hear a beep that means there is continuity between the two data pads, which is bad. You'd need to find where they are bridged. (two points on the buttons PCB, 2 points on the front of the DPI board, and 2 points on the back where it connects to the underside of the pi.

If you hear no beep, that's good, but since controls don't work there is still an issue. You would need to remove the pi and DPI board and make sure the D+ and D- pads are soldered properly on the back (since we can't see that in the photos you need to check).

[rodocop]

Another thing to try if you can't remove the glue, is to strip down another micro USB, like you have for the power, and connect it directly to the pi, and then run the data wires to the button PCB.

Or better yet, just use that same plug for the power micro USB, move it to the data USB port, and solder the green and white to the D+ and D- to the left of where they are now and ignore the red and black wires on it (not needed). I am pretty sure the pi will be powered over GPIO from the DPI board, how you have that micro USB wired is kind of redundant...I think.

[vinomer]

As it turns out, the issue was the Micro USB, apparently the one I was using had a wire that had come off, but since it had some kind of heat shrink over it, I couldn't see it. After stripping an extra Micro USB cable I had lying around, I connected it to the Pi and soldered the wires to the Tinkerboy Controller board.
I had to de-solder everything and start from scratch in order to isolate the issue to one area. Sadly, the turorials for this particular board doesn't mention the Micro USB needed to be connected to the Pi.

Now I have to fix up all of my wiring, cut them to length, run them to the correct spots. Melt the glue around the board using a soldering iron. Make it look "neat". This is the first and last time I use hot glue, sticking with my epoxy from now on.

[vinomer]

Thank you so much @rodocop for all of your help and support!

[rodocop]

Thank you so much @rodocop for all of your help and support!

Glad you got it working! Happy to help.

[vinomer]

So after putting the board back in place, it stopped working again. But since I had taken the hot glue (I don't recommend using hot glue, EVER) off and was able to see the bottom side of the DPI adapter, I discovered what the problem "actually" was. On the bottom side of the DPI Adapter, right below where the screen ribbon cable connects to and above the word "Adapter", are two small holes, those holes align with the D+ and D- pins on the Pi. I soldered both holes and ran two wires, one for D+ and one for D-, then connected them to the board just to be safe. After doing so, everything worked fine.
There were no instructions anywhere on this, but if anyone else is having the same issue with not getting a gamepad detection, try this. Make sure you use heat resistant Kapton tape over the solder points to protect the ribbon cable from shorting.


Here is an example of the two holes that should be soldered together, just go ahead and run a wire from each pin anyway, just to be safe.